Big Brother I Am Not
by smartkid37
Summary: Looking out for your friends, no matter how badly they've treated you in times gone by, isn't supposed to make you the bad guy. So, what does he do about it this time? Episode Tag: So it Goes...Spoiler Alert... WARNING: NOT for anyone who like Abby's behavior in this episode. Don't like where this is going...please don't waste your time reading it just to flame.
1. Chapter 1

**Characters: **_Tony DiNozzo, Jr.; Ellie Bishop; Abby Scuito; Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Timothy McGee, Dr. Mallard & Leon Vance.  
><em>**My apologies**_ - for some reason when this was posted - the characters were not kept in the story attributes screen  
><em>**  
>Warning: <strong>_NOT McAbby (It's been brought to my attention that I should let that be known upfront)_

**Spoiler Alert** - _Season 12 - This past Tuesday's Episode_

* * *

><p>As Tony and Ellie stand alongside Abby in front of the computer monitor between Tony and Tim's desk, their conversation is a quiet one, beginning with Tony.<p>

"Burton Moore was born in 1977 in a small town in Wyoming."

Ellie adds her information. "He recieved a BS in Geology from the University of Wisconsin.

Tony adds more: "Then spent almost a decade in the Peace Corps before moving to D.C."

Speaking for the first time, Abby aks: "Record?"

Ellie's response is a quiet one: "He was arrested once."

Obviously unhappy, Abby's reply is short and just as quiet. "Oh."

At this point, Ellie's tone perks up while clarifying what she knows. "But for protesting a zoo that was accused of abusing their animals."

Abby's relief is unmistakable with the uplifted tone in her voice. "Oh!"

Encouraged, Ellie keeps going "We also have his yearly salary, favorite bands and his political positions on everything from the Middle East to Middle Earth."

Without missing a beat, Tony adds what he knows Abby wants to hear. "Which he's a big fan of, by the way."

Sure enough, Abby is quick to let it be known what she thinks of that. "I can hang with Middle Earth, oh Code McBlue, Code McBlue, Code McBlue."

Quick to catch Abby's code word for 'McGee is coming', Tony calculatingly waits until Tim is in earshot before expertly diverting the conversation "It's a purple grommet."

Tim sees Tony, Ellie and Abby all suspiciously turning away from him as if they're hiding something from him as he walks in from the back elevator past Tony's desk. "What's going on?"

Ellie keeps her back to Tim s she glibly offers the answer she hopes he'll buy. "Noth..ing."

Tim calmly takes the remote from Tony's hand while the Senior Field Agent steadfastly keeps his back to the younger man and clicks on the computer screen between his and Tony's desks, bring up the display of the background check that had been posted there. "That's the park ranger that was here a few weeks ago."

Abby, Tony and Ellie offer forced faux chuckles, further cementing in Tim's mind, what's obviously going on, although why they're hiding it makes no sense to him yet. Looking straight at Abby, he puts the question out there. "These two doing background for you?"

Abby keeps her eyes averted from Tim's face as she nonchalantly replies: "It totally looks like that, huh?"

Leaving alone for now, the fact that Abby's treating him publically like he's stupid – again - Tim glances at the team probie as she mimics Tony in keeping her back to him, spies the folder in her hand, reaches over and eases the file from her hands. Without missing a beat, he opens it up and begins to read off what he sees there. "Places of residence, political contributions, shoe size – it's a myth, by the way…"

Unexpectedly, Ellie interrupts him to counter that. "No, it's not." Amazingly, she is still keeping her back to him as if she's caught on to the idea of making sure she doesn't look him in the eye right now.

Tim is definitely not impressed.

With, his hands together, Tony uses both index fingers to point to himself as he adds. "Size 12"

At which point, Tim looks directly at Abby and tries to reason with her, the fact that all these shenanigans for the sake of not letting him know what the others are keyed into, are by no means necessary. "Abby, you don't have to hide this from me. I'm not jealous. I **have** a girlfriend, remember?"

With confidence that's too quickly sprouted not be a cover for something else, Abby has a quick comeback. "Oh, I wasn't worried about you being jealous."

Without missing a beat, Tony adds his own two cents into the mix, obviously more than happy to lob a heavy-handed complaint Tim's way. "It's the over-protective big brother routine that's getting old."

Tim's response is a bit slower than his usual automatic defensive response, as if he's actually thinking on the statement before replying to it. But it still comes across as pure defense. "I'm not over-protective."

Now yet convinced, Abby is quick to test him. "Okay. So I can date him?"

Tim's response this time is purely reactionary from someone who cares deeply. "Absolutely not. You don't know a thing about him – aside from this totally comprehensive background check. But that's something you two can get in a lot of trouble for."

Gibbs walks in from beyond Tim's desk as he breaks into the discussion in his usual style. "Trouble for what?"

Tony's response to Tim's indirect accusation is lightening quick and surprisingly calm. "Data in that file is straight from the internet, Boss."

Without missing a beat, Ellie backs him up, turning her torso around so that she can look at the boss as she speaks. "Yeah, we didn't use a single law enforcement database."

At this point, Gibbs is done gearing up and is straightening back up as he speaks, coming around his desk again in the process. "McGee. It's the overprotective big brother routine that's getting' old."

It's not hard to see the amused expression on Abby's face as Gibbs walks away, leaving Tim standing there now thoroughly humiliated. What's worse is how pleased with herself Abby looks; as if she's just scored a huge prize by eavesdropping on an ass chewing and all of it leaves Tim feeling like his life has just taken a giant step back into his probie years on the team when the others disrespecting him was a daily fact of life.

Even still, as he grabs his gear bag and heads to the elevator, he tries one last time to get through to her. "You know, he's just really not right fo…"

With a hand thrown up between them, Abby rudely shuts him down. "Go!"

Not willing to keep the others waiting, he bolts for the elevator to catch up. He's done with this crap, anyway. If she doesn't want to listen, there's nothing he can do about it. Frankly, he's done trying and he's seriously done being talked to like this.

*********NCIS************

As Abby and Tim silently work side by side at the computers in her lab early the next day, Abby smugly throws out there. "So, go ahead, ask me."

Vaguely hearing the ding of the elevator in the hallway, Tim bites at the hook Abby has just set. "Ask you what?"

Abby grins at him as she mocks him. "You know what."

Tim gives up the attempt to keep his distance on the subject since it's obvious she's determined to her him say it, despite her shenanigans yesterday in the squad room. "Okay. Have you spoken to your park ranger friend?"

"None of your business." Abby smugly replies as she catches Gibbs moving in behind her and exchanges an amused smile with him that unbeknownst to them, Tim does not miss.

Tim's not amused as he fires back at her. "You just told me to ask!"

Abby very cheekily smirks: "I changed my mind."

At this point. Tim's just glad the boss quickly changes the subject because this one's become way too much of Abby acting like a spoiled teenager for his liking. He's not sure how much more of her crap he can put up with. For once he's happy there's an active case since it means being busy away from her.

_**********NCIS*********_

With the end of a case, eventually comes the end of the day and that moment in time when some, if not all that that transpired during the working of the case comes back to haunt or bite or settle, either with ease or distaste. For Tim, it's been a while since he's had any reason to regret, wish differently or even wonder about any of that. Things, for a while, have been really good and beginning to run more smoothly – especially between himself and Tony.

This time, however, it feels like they've all stepped back in time a couple of years and once again Tony and Gibbs have joined forces to show him in front of all the others, that Tim doesn't measure up for some reason or another. This time, his efforts to protect Abby from her own impulsive dating has been publically trounced on.

It's depressing really, how little has changed in the area of the others' views of him; how Abby still treats him while the others stand back and smile at her for it. Mentally shaking his head now, Tim stares off into the space between his desk and the space between the two across from him. You would think that given the crappy way Abby's treated him about his own prior attempts at dating; including the times that has included her, that the others would be happy he continues to care deeply enough about her to keep her warned off from her own urges to jump first and ask questions later. _Hadn't Mawher taught them anything?_

Tim's not even trying to act like her older brother. She's older than he is and everyone knows it for one thing. For another, they have too much history; both memorable and painful, for that to be the case. No, he's just the deeply concerned friend who's getting publically slapped for daring to care deeply enough not to take it lightly or let it go easily.

It's NOT like he's pretending that he's perfect or knows everything. He's merely asking her to slow down and be cautious. Okay, so she's smart enough to get background information on the potential date – although why she didn't just surf the net herself to find the information on the guy is still a mystery. And obviously Gibbs is in the loop on this one, so she's wised up about communicating with him on things that have gotten her in trouble before when she'd handled things alone and silently. Then again, Gibbs' isn't the one blamed when things go south, either.

_You know what…why am I even trying any more? I show concern, I'm being too protective, something happens to her when I stay out of her way, I'm responsible. I lose either way – while Abby continues to sit back and laugh like she's been doing all day. Hell, even Gibbs thinks it's funny. Some things never change! _

_Besides, Abby could of just told me to stop in her usual 'stop or I'll boil you alive and not leave any evidence' overkill way but instead, she chose to bring the situation up here and get the rest of the team in on it – until it ended up in what amounted to a public intervention through humiliation. _

_**That**__ was why she got DiNozzo and Bishop to do the background for her – so she could bring them in on her little game of 'let's humiliate Tim into no longer acting like the big brother I don't need.' Something every one of them willingly took part it. Even Gibbs! _

_Yeah, let's not go there. The man's gone back to calling me McGee and thought Abby's crap down in her lab earlier was actually funny on top of the crap she pulled up here. Enough said._

Beyond irritated, Tim gets to his feet and grabs his gear bag, ready to head out for the night. Gibbs called it over 15 minutes ago, so there's no point in him even still being here. He's brought to a standstill when he finds that DiNozzo and Bishop standing behind their own desks, staring at him.

"What?" He gripes irritatedly, his eyes boring holes through Tony's head.

"Oh, Nuthin' McSpacey. Just wonderin' what the heck's wrong with you." Tony smarts back.

"I'm fine!"

"Yeah, and I'm Mr. America. Try that again, McFibber."

"Leave it alone, DiNozzo." Tim warns as he steps out from behind his desk, heading for the back stairs.

"McGee…" Tony pushes. "Look, you haven't said two words since we set you straight about the whole 'big brother' thing the other day. So, that's gotta be what's buggin' you. Right?"

"Your ears work, DiNozzo? "Cause I could have sworn I just told you to leave it alone!"

"My ears work just fine. Doesn't mean I'm gonna listen. You know me better than that. Especially when my keen senses pick up on you being bugged about something."

"Like you care." Tim mutters.

"Wouldn't be tryin' to talk about this with you if I didn't, would I?" Tony's question is loud enough that Tim turns around and retraces his steps to get the conversation lowered back to quieter tones.

"Not goin' there with you, Tony." Tim warns even as his anger climbs.

"Just admit it, Probie. Admit it and I'll leave you alone.'

"McGee. _Are_ you angry about that?" Bishop asks innocently.

Tim's glare moves over to her now. She played just as much a role in that crap yesterday as the rest of them. Being the newbie, that was one thing she should have kept her nose out of. Tim hasn't done anything to her to warrant her having anything to do with doing him that way. He's definitely not appreciative of her being in on that.

"Because if you are, I'm really sorry."

"Don't be, Bishop. He's a big boy, he can take it." Tony responds firmly.

"_You_ stopped _me_, just now, DiNozzo. You forget that?" Tim snipes as he turns back around and heads back out.

"McGee!" Gibbs barks out unexpectedly.

With an audible sigh of complete frustration, Tim turns back around yet again, this time to hear what the boss wants. This time, however, he says nothing while he waits.

Obviously realizing that Tim isn't coming to him this time, the Team Leader walks over to his team, already in close proximity to Tony's desk. With a crook of his finger, he beckons Tim to return to the fold.

Once the young man has done that, the Team Leader frowns at him as he asks the question. "Somethin' on your mind?"

"No." Tim denies. This is not up for public discussion or even a private one either.

"McGee…" Gibbs warns. He knows better. The aggravation is practically rolling off his agent in waves.

"Boss! I'm fine! Please, just let it go!"

"McGee, you just proved my point. You never raise your voice at the boss. It's just not you."

"Wouldn't be doing it now if you'd quit pushin' after I told you to leave it alone, DiNozzo!" Tim barks at him. "But, you never listen."

"Yeah, I do."

"Yeah, to Abby, maybe." Tim mutters.

"What did you just say?" Tony demands.

Completely fed up, Tim lets it rip. "Fine. You want me to say it, I'll say it. The little public intervention the other day – NOT appreciated! There, you happy? I'm going now. See you tomorrow." He turns to go, this time not making it two steps before he's stopped cold by the boss getting in his way.

"McGee."

"Boss, I get it! I'm not her big brother. But, I never claimed to be! The whole point of your public intervention was that Abby can take care of herself. I get that. She always thinks things through when it comes to guys she wants to date, Mawher never happened and I never get blamed when her impulsive decisions come back on her. I get it, okay? I'm not supposed to care about her. Only Tony fits that role – when he wants it, that is. Fine. Maybe you could blame _him_ the next time a psycho comes after her because she didn't listen! Laugh in his face, instead of mine for a change." Stepping around the boss, Tim's gone this time, faster than his usual stride, aided by the fact that he's just left the others in the squad room, frozen in shock.


	2. Chapter 2

Still in shock, Ellie manages to quietly ask, "Who's Mawher?"

"Pull up the case file." Gibbs replies as his eyes lock onto his Senior Field Agent, wanting him to pick up by his look and his tone, that not only is he talking to him, but also that whatever Tim is this riled about isn't just going to be shrugged off like it doesn't matter, no matter how long ago it was because the fact that he's still bearing the scars from it, means as Team Leader, Gibbs overlooked something serious back then. It's important enough to investigate.

"Won't do you any good." The unexpected voice from the stair landing behind Tony's desk, has three pairs of eyes staring back in a heartbeat. With his own eyes locked onto the MCRT Leader, Leon Vance descends the stairs, rounds the corner at Tony's desk and stops next to Tony as he lends his voice to the discussion. "What he's talking about won't be in there, Gibbs. You know it, DiNozzo knows it; hell even I know it and I wasn't even here."

"Director?" Tony asks more out of surprise than need for the facts to be made more clear.

Ignoring Tony's obscure question, Vance pins Gibbs with his steady gaze that's not looking to back down. "I can't stop you from investigating this all over again –who knows maybe it'll be the first time – but I can and I do order you not to put any of your time into this on the clock. More importantly, there will be no making any part of this public - again.

"Leon…"

"No discussion or photo's rehashed."

Gibbs frowns. Vance is right. The guy _wasn'_t here when this was an issue, so what's his problem with this? "There a problem here, Director?"

"Gibbs, you want to do damage control, that's fine. But not at the expense of this team's cohesiveness."

"Aren't they connected, Director?" Tony pipes in with a knowing tone.

"Maybe, regardless, there will be no using NCIS time or my squad room to re-open that door. It's been closed long enough, it won't make a difference now." Without another word, Leon turns on his heel, rounds the corner and walks back up the stairs to his office.

With an utterly baffled expression on her face, Ellie looks at Gibbs. "What is he saying?"

"He's saying we need to let it go like it didn't happen." Tony gripes in unmistakable irritation.

"That what _you_ heard, DiNozzo? " Gibbs questions his senior field agent with the tone that clearly says in his book, Tony is completely off base.

Tony looks at the boss as the older man treks back to his own desk. He knows the Director said more than what was meant for him personally and most of it directed at Gibbs. The phrases _damage control_, and _team cohesiveness_ hang in the air, but his brain is tired and he can't seem to make the pieces fit together.

"Go home." Gibbs orders as he settles in behind his desk, his focus immediately going to his computer screen. "_After_, you pull up the file, DiNozzo."

"On it, Boss." Tony replies tersely as he turns to his own computer and looks up the case in question. Types what he needs to find the file, brings it up on his computer and considers sending it to the big screen behind the boss but thinks better of that when he remembers Vance's warning. He sends it in an email to the boss, opening it up and printing it out for good measure before he's done with it.

Once he's done that, he quietly retrieves the printed copy, sets it on the boss' desk and returns to his own. Tony shuts down his computer station. Picking his gear bag up, he slings it up on his shoulder and offers a rather subdued "'Night" as he heads to the elevator with nothing more being said.

Surprisingly enough, in all of this, Ellie has remained relatively still behind her own desk, moving only enough to shut down her work station. Waiting until the elevator descends off the floor with Tony on it, before slowly getting to her feet, Ellie's movements spell out her sense of confusion and need for more answers. Watching her clasp the back of her chair with both hands, yet stand still as if getting lost in her thoughts, its obvious something is bothering her that she wants to discuss.

"Somethin' on your mind, Bishop?" The Team Leader asks as his eyes remain seemingly locked on his own monitor.

"No, ah….okay, yes. Gibbs, what's really going on here? Because I get the feeling I just fell headlong into something I shouldn't have been involved in and to tell you the truth I'm having trouble sorting it out."

Her boss looks at her in his tell-tale silent way that says he's scrutinizing her for what she's really after. Seeing and sensing that she genuinely needs answers, he gets to his feet, gesturing with his head for her to walk with him. In silence, they take the elevator down, heading out for a coffee run. This conversation is going to require a caffeine boost.

Once they've cleared the throngs of people streaming out of the building with them and heading home, Gibbs pins Ellie's need to question something under the microscope. "I'm listenin'"

"Okay. Well, I think this is the first time I've seen this…fracture? On the team and the more I hear…well, the more it sounds like I was drafted into something I shouldn't have been."

"You _were_."

"But then you…"

"Nipped it."

"But not before …"

"They hashed it out among themselves?" Gibbs asks her, his eyebrows knit together in question.

"Is _that _what that was? " Ellie's challenge actually has a note of surprise in it.

"Was it?" He challenges her in return.

She thinks about it for a long silent minute as they stop walking near the employee's parking lot. "Okay. I can see that that could have been….but what I don't understand is why Abby…I mean, it seems like she used all of us to do for her what a simple discussion between her and McGee could have done. McGee was right, right?

"Heh. You don't know Abby."

"Not sure I want to." Ellie mutters half under her breath. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. Look, I'm just gonna go now."

"Bishop."

"It's okay. I get it. McGee was right. I know he was angry that I got in the middle of it. He had a right to be because I shouldn't have fallen in with what Abby and Tony were doing."

Gibbs nods shortly in agreement.

Ellie frowns. "Night, Gibbs." Without waiting for a response she starts walking to her car. Just a few feet later, she stops and turns back. "I just…?"

Gibbs sighs. He hasn't moved, in anticipation of this; another round of questions. "Spit it out, Bishop, before it chokes you."

"There's just one thing I don't understand."

"Ok." The tone of the Team Leader's voice is the one that says he's waiting expectantly for the next question without having to ask it out loud.

"Whose side are you on? I mean….not that there should be any sides or anything, but…well, it just seems like you... I don't think you telling McGee _exactly _what Tony told just him was just letting them hash it out….or fair."

Two heartbeats of silence tells Ellie that she's hit home enough that the boss is now unhappy. She's smart enough to know when to quit. "Never mind. Good night."

This time she keeps walking until she reaches her car and gets in. When she drives out of the lot a minute later, Gibbs is still standing there, caught completely off guard.

*********NIS*********

Ducky makes his way out to the parking lot, more than ready to call it a night. It's been a long day and a rather unpleasant two days in a row when he takes into consideration, the significantly less than positive events of the yesterday. He cares deeply for the youngsters on his long –time friend's team of agents and it troubles him greatly when they are at odds with each other. When things happen rather publically among the members of the MCRT, it's never long before Ducky gets wind of it and quite accurately at that.

This time, he's just as troubled about the instigation of the incident as he is about the outcome. Equally emotionally invested in Abigail as he is the MCRT, he's never happy to see her act this way or even hear about it. He is hoping, this time, however, that Gibbs is more objective than he usually is when it comes to their Forensic Scientist who can do no wrong in the eyes of the Team Leader. It does worry him, however, to hear that Timothy finally erupted about the situation before things were laid to rest. He knows that will make things much harder for Gibbs to put away now.

Speaking of the Team Leader, Ducky stops beside him as he nearly walks into him at the edge of the parking lot. "Jethro? Is everything all right?"

Gibbs blinks as if clearing his thoughts and looks over at the older man briefly. "Goin' home?"

"Yes. It has been a rather trying day and I for one am more than ready to put my feet up for the evening."

"I hear ya, Duck. I hear ya." Gibbs offers congenially. "Night." The Team Leader begins to walk in the direction of his own car, coffee long forgotten.

"Jethro."

Gibbs turns back expectantly.

"You seem a bit troubled."

"Just thinkin', Doc." Gibbs replies nonchalantly, not wanting the older man to build up too much concern about him over this.

"Today was rather a step away from the norm in your squad room, wasn't it?"

Breathing out a tired sigh, Gibbs agrees. "Yeah."

"I must say, Jethro, I was quite surprised to hear that you allowed Abigail and Anthony such rope with which to hang themselves. That is what they were doing, was it not? And yet, it was Timothy who earned your public censure, for all his efforts to remain fiercely protective of your favorite."

"There a point in there somewhere, Duck?"

"I realize that you are not at all pleased to hear the point I've just made. However, I am merely concerned about whatever it is that has you standing lost in thought in the parking lot after the day is done, my friend. I thought perhaps it had something to do with the day you've had.

Gibbs can do nothing but glare, knowing his friend is right, but still too angry at being so accurately assessed, to have a decent response.

"Come, Jethro. You look as though you could do with a nice dinner. It shall be my treat. Then, we'll talk."

"No thanks, Duck. Just gonna call it a night."

Wearily, the younger man gets in his car and drives away, leaving a pensive Medical Examiner behind, watching him drive away from behind the wheel of his own car.

**_******NCIS*****_**

_0330 Washington, D.C._

Sighing tiredly, Tim signs off from his nightly conversation with Delilah. Local time where she is, half-way around the world in United Arab Emirates, Dubai, is 8 hours ahead of Washington DC. Like he's already explained to his team mates, it makes it really hard to keep the relationship going when you're up at 3 AM every morning just to stay in touch with your girlfriend. It may be 11:00 AM in Delilah's neck of the woods, but it's still shut-eye time in Tim's. Unfortunately, these calls always wind him up just enough that he's not able to get right back to sleep once they've signed off.

Just thinking about her all the way over there –clear around the northern tip of Africa: past, Algeria, Libya and Egypt, on through to the far side of Saudi Arabia at the top of the boot; makes him tired enough not to move right now, when he's still thinking of going back to sleep. It's a very, very long way away; Seven thousand and fifty-two miles to be exact

With a grimace, he wipes one hand tiredly down his face. Visiting that place is one hell of an adjustment on your physical being, Despite that, the vacation time he'd spent with her was great – awesome even. Seeing how well she's settled in over there and comfortable in her surroundings, with her new co-workers and friends who all respect her and like her, lifted his heart and eased his mind about her posting there.

But, there isn't a day that goes by that he doesn't wish; at least for a minute or two, that she hadn't gone. He misses her and he misses what they had; what they'd been working on within their relationship. It's a tough balancing act between that and his firm desire to let her be her own person, wherever that may take her. But it's the day-to-day closeness that he misses and nothing had brought that home sharper than Abby's crap in the squad room earlier today; or yesterday.

Abby may never change but even that stunt she'd pulled in the squad room had been taking things too far. Getting to his feet, Tim heads for the kitchen and a glass of water. He's parched after talking for a while over the video chat. Then, he's going back to bed for a couple of hours. Balance between it all is the key and he's working hard to keep it right. No one is going to screw that up for him. Yesterday showed him that he's done with the side shows that go on at work with him as the punch line.

**_******NCIS*****_**

_1130 Hours - United Arab Emirates, Dubai_

Frowning, she disconnects the video chat, her mind turning over the little things that don't add up. Tim says he's fine, but he always says that. He doesn't really let her in unless it's too painful to handle himself. That's rare and she's sure it's because when he's with her or talking to her, he finds little to complain about in light of how her life's been flipped upside down and turned inside out over the last few years.

But, this time, whatever it is that's bothering him is keeping him off-balance just enough that she heard it in his voice just now and saw it in his eyes. He _wants_ to be able to let it go without telling her anything about it. She knows he's done that a lot, especially since the bombing. Something has kept him from being able to do that this time.

Frankly, she wishes he would be a little more open but she knows it's part of the bullying and hard-knocks training Tony and Gibbs have thrown at him over the years, on top of the crap he's gone through with his father. She doesn't push when he says he's fine. That's not code for 'push me harder' with him and she knows that it irks him when Abby does it.

Sure, the Lab Rat gets him to get it off his chest, but he doesn't appreciate being badgered into it; especially since he knows she's just doing it to best him at something again. Tim and Delilah don't talk about her anymore, but when they first began to get serious about each other; they'd cleared the air about their past relationships so they _have _discussed his relationship Abby. Everything: past and present and everything in between has been aired between them because it's one area of who he is that Tim doesn't hide from her any more than he makes it a regular conversation.

Tim is long over Abby and despite the fact that it took him a very long time to get there; he's there with both feet firmly planted in looking ahead without a single look back. Delilah's proud of him for that. It's not been easy to admit to or has it been a piece of cake watching the two of them continue to have to work together.

From where she was standing at the time they'd openly talked it over, Delilah saw it as a confusing map of roads that didn't always make sense, when first plotted and laid out; friendship here; cold hearted, judgmental, antagonistic interaction there; demanding 'friend' vs subjective 'friend moment there; it all added up to utter chaos among the rubble of what should have and could have been a truly beautiful friendship. Frankly, as far as Delilah's concerned, the less time Tim has to spend around Abby, the better. Especially, if the spoiled, cantankerous woman is still Gibbs' favorite.

Oh she and Abby get along well enough; but deep down, Delilah's well aware of the older woman's initial hostility towards her and the hypercritical message she'd given Tim when he'd reluctantly let her in the last time she'd pushed him to talk about what was bothering him. She'll work with the woman and be friendly to her – but not more than that.

Wheeling herself into the kitchenette, Delilah gets herself a cup of coffee before wheeling herself over to the break table. She's alone and she's got a few minutes. What better time to get to the bottom of what's bothering Tim than now. Her inner voice is screaming at her that it has something – hell, maybe everything, to do with Abby. It's time to find out – _well, maybe not right now. Lunch break. Yeah, that will work._

**_******NCIS*****_**

_0645 Washington, D.C. _

The unexpected, yet hoped for beeping coming from her computer across the room from where she's currently warming up her babies, has Abby literally racing for the connection in anticipation. _Kyle! _She's so excited, she's not even looking at who it's from. It's been a while since her and her brother been able to sit and talk and catch up. Abby has told him he's welcome to drop in like this and chat via video anytime and he's the only one that would, so it has to be him. Hurriedly, she wipes her hands across her face while the video channel is opening up.

When the face before her become clear, Abby's mouth hits the floor and her voice comes out in a squeak of surprise. "Delilah?"

_"Hi, Abby. I hope you don't mind me bothering you before you start your day, just this once. It won't happen again, I promise. I just wanted to see how you're doing and this seems like the best time to reach you without interfering with either of our jobs."_

"No, I don't mind. Are you okay?" Abby responds easily, a genuine smile on her face. She settles comfortably on her stool, ignoring all sounds coming from her surroundings now, her focus completely zeroed in on Tim's girlfriend.

_"I'm fine. It's not me I want to talk about."_

"McGee?"

_"No, this isn't about Tim, at least not exclusively. I wanted to talk about you. See how you're doing? If you've found someone; maybe gone out on a date?_

Abby is shocked that McGee's girlfriend has to ask, since she's long assumed that she – in the role of the former girlfriend – has long been the topic of a lot of conversations between them. And being that she and McGee still work together every day and with what went down in the squad room just yesterday…."Wait, so McGee didn't tell you that I met this really awesome guy a few weeks back? You know the one that helped us in that case we had back then? And that yesterday I totally got him to stop being all big-brother protective over me about Burton?"

_Burton? Hmm. Definitely different for this day and age, wouldn't you say? I'd love to hear all about him."_

Abby's shocked and admittedly crushed. She's long loved McGee like she loves puppies and like she's told him before, that should be enough; enough that he stay concerned enough about he to talk to his girlfriend about her when they have interactions like they did yesterday. How could McGee not talk about it? She'd made sure it became something bigger than a mere annoyance he could just shrug off – she'd had to in order to make her point with him. That can't be right. Delilah must just have forgotten.

_****NCIS*******_

Wearily, Tim heads into the squad room with ten minutes to spare before the start of the day. He's not entirely surprised to find Gibbs already sitting at his desk working. It comes as a complete surprise, however, when Tim reaches his own desk and lets his gear bag slide down off his shoulder enroute to the floor under his desk, when the boss immediately gets to his feet and walks around his desk, leaning back against it, hands in his front slacks pockets.

Blinking owlishly, Tim remains silent, waiting for the shoe to drop. Still, Gibbs says nothing. It's unnerving and even bordering on irritating to see the man standing there, silently scrutinizing him without a hint of discussion. Finally, Tim can't take it another minute.

"Boss? Is…something wrong?"

The chime of the arriving elevator beyond Ellie's desk barely registers in the midst of the uncomfortable feeling that's begun to settle in. The joint arrival of Tony and Ellie, change everything as Gibbs stands up straight. He's obviously been waiting for them.

"Mornin', Boss. Probie." Tony offers more quietly than usual.

"Good morning." Ellie adds

Waiting until all eyes were on him, Gibbs glances at each of his team members in turn, saving Tim for last. With his eyes glued to the Computer Whiz's, he finally speaks his peace. "Yesterday shouldn't have happened. The other day in here, either. And' I'm not talkin' about the way you handled it."

Looking his boss in the eye Tim swallows hard and offers a response, surprise stripping away the filter as he speaks. "Wow. I didn't… I mean, thank you."

A slight nod is all the response he receives from the Team Leader and actually, that's comfortingly normal.

Ellie is quick to join Gibbs in front of Tim's desk. 'I'm sorry for my part in it. You've been nothing but welcoming and helpful since I got here and you didn't deserve yesterday or my part in it."

"Thank you, Bishop."

"You're welcome…._Tim._"

Her emphasis on his first name doesn't escape Tim's notice but he's too overwhelmed with the unexpected clearing of the air in his favor to find the words to address it. He's not even sure why she's making a note of it but he's feeling quite charitable towards her for the effort. She is, after all still trying to find her feet on the job and just as importantly, among the team on a personal level as well. A little slack never hurt anyone.

Gibbs motions for Tim to join him as he's heading out of the squad room to the back elevator. With no time to drop off his gear bag, Tim does as he's been requested and follows Gibbs. Tony is soon walking just behind Tim, a brotherly hand reaching out to clamp his shoulder in support.

"I've thought about it all night, myself and….well, let's just say I didn't like what I saw and I'm sorry, man."

"That means a lot coming from you, Tony. Thank you." Tim admits quietly as they reach the elevator and Tony and Ellie join them before the door's closed and as a team, they silently ride the boxcar to the destination of the boss' choosing. None of the younger agents are surprised to see that they're stopping on Abby's level. Surprisingly enough, there's no music coming from the lab; only the low hum of a voice as they find themselves walking into the middle of a conversation she's having – on a video chat.

_"_…you haven't heard **any** thing about him from McGee? Not even everything I set up yesterday to show him….?"

_"I'm sorry, Abby, Tim and I don't talk about you – we haven't since we passed the 'tell me about your past relationships' phase quite a while back. Why, what did you set up for Tim?"_

Tim closes his eyes in embarrassment for a moment. Opening them again, he finds himself meeting his girlfriend's eyes across the room.

With a look of apology in his direction, Delilah returns to her conversation with Abby, now fully aware that it's time to cut this short and that she has a much larger audience than she did a moment ago so she needs to choose her words carefully. Even with that being a factor, though, she needs to get to the whole point of why she's called Abby in the first place.

"Oh, I just had Tony and Bishop run the background check on my new boyfriend so everything would be focused up in the squad room where McGee would be sure and see it and comment on it and react to it and finally hear from someone besides me that he's going overboard – again on the whole protection thing, ya know?" Abby's so focused on her conversation, she's not yet aware of her new audience or at least hasn't acknowledged them yet.

_"Why didn't you just pull him aside and talk to him, Abby? You really think publically embarrassing him was necessary? I mean, he looks out for you – something you should be thankful for, considering your history together."_ Delilah's getting angry now. She gets why Tim was upset earlier and she feels for him and the uncomfortable place he must be in with regard to his friendship/working relationship with Abby.

"Wow. I don't know, I guess, I figured that was the best way to…"

"Take him down a peg?" Tony throws into the mix, unexpectedly.

Completely shocked and embarrassed about being caught in the midst of this conversation, Abby whips around to look at him. "TONY!"

"Mornin' Abbs. Delilah."

_"Good morning, Tony. Gibbs. Ellie."_ Delilah greets them all except Tim. She knows he's too embarrassed right now to want that extra attention. She can wait.

"Guys, I'm…" Abby tries to explain things away.

Tim cuts her off. "Can we put this away now? Please?" He's glancing in turn at Gibbs and Delilah before returning his gaze to Abby. "As in forever?" His less than happy expression moves over to and locks onto his girlfriend's on the computer screen, he waits for someone to give him an answer.

Between the tone of his agent's voice and the look of apology and sadness in Delilah's expression on the video link, there's no doubt that once again, a personal situation has been reluctantly dragged out into the open

"Won't happen again, Tim" Gibbs vows in a tone that lets everyone hear that he's not talking about Tim's actions now but his own and theirs as well. There's no doubt now that he's figured out

"Thanks, Boss."

"Abby, let's take a walk." Gibbs orders as he does what he can to give his agent time to properly say goodbye to the lady he loves living half-way around the world.

But, Gibbs!" Abby complains loudly as she follows him out of the room. "I wasn't d…." Tony and Ellie quickly following in their footsteps, a fleeting glance of apology mixed with goodbye sent Delilah's way from both of them along the way, means she's not able to turn back.

Left behind is a worn out looking Tim smiling almost shyly at his lady. Surprisingly, he's not really upset with her. He knows it's his own fault for not coming clean with her. If anything, he's appreciative of her extra efforts to dig into what was bothering him. Then again, this may not have been about him to begin with. The two of them are somewhat friends, after all.

_"Tim?"_

"Is everything okay?" He asks with clear concern "I mean it's not usual for you to be calling here at this time of the day in a video chat, right?"

_"I know. But, I could sense that something was wrong and I figured Abby was the best person to ask."_

"Oh."

_"But, that's not how it should be."_

"I know. The best person to ask should be me."

_"Think maybe we can work on that?"_

"Yeah. We can definitely work on that."

_"Good. I love you"_

"I love you too, Sweetie."

_"Bye for now."_

"Bye." Closing out the connection window on the computer, Tim locks Abby's computer for her and turns to go back to work.

Along the way, he can't help but find reason to smile at the improvement in the team's attitude that he hadn't expected but greatly appreciates. Somehow, he's confident that he'll be hearing at least an attempt at an apology from Abby soon. He can wait for it because he's finally got the sticky situation that his working relationship with her, under _his_ control, thanks in large to Delilah. And along the way, he's gotten a surprise look into just how much Delilah does love him and expects him to open himself up to that.

Things are definitely going to get better from here, no doubt about it.

* * *

><p><em>~FINIS~<em>


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